By Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan
The term “rules-based international order” is frequently used by United States, especially in the context of China. Principally the phrase describes a world where all conduct their activities by agreed rules that have evolved over the ages. The rules include international laws, arrangements, protocols, and other instruments and are agreed upon by all nations, countries, and individuals and got recognition widely.
However, the sugar-coated phrase is often pronounced by the US to portray its perceived opponent China as a violator of the generally accepted rules while running its international affairs. The rapidly declining superpower is misusing the phrase to discredit China as an unruly global power that, according to the US, has no respect for international rules and instruments.
However, the facts are rather contrary. Actually, the UN Charter is an only authentic document, build on consensus and protecting every nation, every country, and every individual. The United States terminology is used to portrait only its own version protecting only America and its interests.
The critical analysts are of the view that the US is trying to pass the buck on China. They believe that the US itself has a long history of breaching the rules to achieve its interests. Yet, the US is laying the blame for the offenses it is repeatedly committing at China’s door.
American historian Christopher Kelly and British historian Stuart Laycock have mentioned in their book “America Invades: How We’ve Invaded Or Been Militarily Involved With Almost Every Country on Earth” that the US has invaded or fought in 84 of the 193 countries recognized by the United Nations and has been militarily involved with 191 of those 193 – a staggering 98 percent.
The US has “special forces” operating in two-thirds of the world’s countries and non-special forces in three-quarters of them. The US military bases around the globe have no justification and its military action overseas is merely an act of war and should be considered a war crime.
The world has the right to ask the US why it blatantly interferes in the internal and external affairs of other independent and sovereign countries. They deserve a legitimate explanation from the US about which provisions of the international rules allow it to act in this way.
To date, the US has sanctioned more than 36 countries (either unilaterally or in part) including the Balkans, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Nicaragua, DPRK, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Russia, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe. Today, most issues around the globe are created by the US, the humanity is suffering at the hands of the US.
People have the right to know based on which rules the US is imposing sanctions on its rival countries, causing starvation and death for millions of innocent civilians including women and children. They want to learn which rules the US is following in pushing other sovereign countries to comply with the sanctions it imposes on its rival countries.
The US is seen to be very vocal against the violations of human rights around the world. For many years, it has been causing a huge hue and cry over so-called human rights violations in Xinjiang, China. The US should explain why it is now stopping short of even calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. What is happening in India with minorities, especially in Kashmir, why the US kept criminal silence? What is happening in Palestine and Israeli brutalities, are kept undercover, can the US explain it?
The world is eager to learn which rules it is following and which human rights it is protecting in approving the sale of precision-guided weapons to Israel worth $735 million at a time when calls for a ceasefire are mounting from all over the world.
People also have the right to ask the US why it has blocked a unified statement three consecutive times in a week at the United Nations Security Council that would have “condemned Israel’s military response and called for a ceasefire.”
Though it is very vocal over human rights, the US does not commit to any rules or laws in reality. The superpower is only driven by its vested interests.
It’s nothing but a new strategy of the US to hold back China’s rise and maintain its unjust hegemony in the global arena. However, China has surpassed the stage and threshold, where it can be pressurized anymore. China has developed to a stage, where it can compete with the US on equal footings and in a parallel manner.
It is time to strengthen the UN and empower it to implement its charter in true spirit. No country, no nation, no individual should be above United Nations law.
Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan – Sinologist (ex-Diplomat), Editor, Analyst, Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan.
(This is an opinion article. The views expressed belong only to the author and the publication of the article does not necessarily imply the endorsement of its content by World Geostrategic Insights).